1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing system for processing image data. Also, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, a program, and a recording medium used for the image processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years and continuing to the present, it has become common practice for many companies to connect image input/output devices such as multi-function complex machines to a network. Image input/output devices have an important role in improving the efficiency of operations. Particularly, distribution management systems that efficiently digitize and distribute paper documents have become important. The distribution management system is roughly divided into an image input device (e.g., a scanner) and a distribution management server. In the distribution management server, plural distribution processing menus corresponding to various operations and purposes are registered in advance. A user selects a processing menu suitable for an operation from the operations panel (operations unit) of a scanner to perform scanning.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for performing the distribution processing of image data using a workflow. Specifically, the distribution processing and image conversion processing are made into plug-ins. A user or a manager arbitrarily combines the plug-ins with each other to generate the workflow for performing input, image conversion, and output, and performs the distribution processing of image data by using the generated workflow. Further, an image forming apparatus, which incorporates the function of the distribution management server for performing distribution management, cannot process some applications due to the processing load of a CPU and the limitation of a memory capacity.
On the other hand, known technologies provide the service of an ASP (Application Service Provider) using a sophisticated office machine as an interface. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology for processing a function that an image forming apparatus itself cannot process. Specifically, in such a case, the image forming apparatus transmits electronic information to a service provider to perform a desired service, and then acquires a result of a service from the service provider.
However, it is unusual for the service provider to perform processing without limitation. Therefore, the service provider may have the mechanism of assigning a processing right to a predetermined device. Here, it is assumed that the service provider provides the device having succeeded in login with an authentication ticket. However, this is effective only for communications between a user who uses a service and the service provider, and a high processing load occurs if user authentication is performed for every internal communication on the side of the service provider. In addition, if the service provider performs data communications without any checks in the internal communications, there arise problems in security.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2006-018640
Patent Document 2: JP-A-2002-252732